First canine jump from airplane successfully achieved at St. Catharines airport

A dog’s trust in his master was shown at the St. Catharines airport on the morning of August 4, 1932, when a four-year-old police dog named Cal readily climbed aboard a plane with his master, Harold Brooker, 28, a member of the local Flying Club. Club engineer David Imrie was at the controls, and took them to a height of 1,800 feet. Cal’s parachute was fastened to the wing of the plane, and the dog leaped into space without hesitation when his name was called and Brooker disappeared over the edge of the wing. Cal made a perfect four-point landing near where Brooker touched down safely.

Note: While the dog had no previous flying experience, he was used to heights, having frequently ridden the Spanish aerial car across the Whirlpool Rapids at Niagara Falls, owned by Brooker.

Another record chalked up for the innovative St. Catharines Flying Club, which was also the first flying club in Canada, established in 1928.

From the Standard

Making Headlines!

Cal, Canada’s first parachuting dog, with his owner, Harold Brooker, and the airplane pilot.

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